Stumping, Catches: Dhoni Plays Key Part in 4 Sri Lankan Wickets

Sri Lanka were reduced to 55/4 in 11.4 overs in their ICC World Cup match at Leeds.

Indian cricketers celebrate the dismissal of Sri Lanka’s Kusal Perera, caught out by India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni, center left, on Jasprit Bumrah’s, second right, bowling during the Cricket World Cup match.

(Photo: AP)

There’s been plenty of chatter that he might retire after India’s last match at the ICC World Cup, but while he’s still donning the blues, MS Dhoni’s doing what he does best – play cricket.

During India’s last league game against Sri Lanka at Leeds on Saturday, 6 July, the wicketkeeper-batsman played a key part in four straight wickets.

First up was captain and opener Dimuth Karunaratne, who edged behind to Dhoni for 10, giving Jasprit Bumrah his 100th ODI wicket in the fourth over of the game.

Kusal Perera too, walked back to the hut after getting out in a similar fashion on the first ball of the 8th over. And once again, it was Dhoni who had dived to his right to take the catch. And with that Sri Lanka had been reduced to 40/2 in 7.1 overs.

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On the fourth ball of the 11th over, Dhoni stumped Kusal Mendis on 3 off a delivery by all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who was making his first appearance of this World Cup.

And in the very next over, Hardik Pandya got the big wicket of Avishka Fernando, the teenage century-maker in the last match. Fernando, on 20 off 21 balls, tried ramping Pandya at the last second, and gave wicketkeeper MS Dhoni his third catch of the match.

Sri Lanka were reduced to 55/4 in 11.4 overs after which Angelo Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne got together to stitch a 124-run stand for the fifth-wicket.

While India are through to the semifinals of the ICC World Cup, Sri Lanka failed to make it to the next round, having won only three of their eight games so far.